


Sunshine Where She Goes

by KiraMyst



Series: Vampire of the Moon [1]
Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: AU!Caroline, BAMF Bonnie Bennett, BAMF Caroline Forbes, Caroline Forbes & Alaric Saltzman Friendship, Caroline Forbes & Bonnie Bennet Friendship, Caroline Forbes & Damon Salvatore Friendship, Caroline Forbes & Stefan Salvatore Friendship, Caroline Forbes-centric, Elena Gilbert Bashing, F/M, Gen, Human Caroline Forbes, Human Elena Gilbert, Minor Elena Gilbert/Damon Salvatore, Minor Elena Gilbert/Stefan Salvatore, OC-Caroline Mix, Protective Bonnie Bennett, Protective Damon Salvatore, Protective Stefan Salvatore, Sassy Damon Salvatore, Teacher Alaric Saltzman, Vampire Caroline Forbes, Witch Bonnie Bennett
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:41:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24389071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiraMyst/pseuds/KiraMyst
Summary: Anjali Ravencroft is not second best. She knows who she is and doesn't like people comparing her to anyone, much less doing so herself. Between her best friends; Bonnie Bennet and Elena Gilbert, she's the shy one, The quiet one. Though what she lacks with words she makes up for with her music. Letting it speak for her. With the arrival of the Salvatore Brothers, she starts to come out of her shell and finds the real her.While It seems the people around this Angel can't resist her light.CarolineForbes!AU.
Relationships: Anjali & Alaric, Anjali & Bonnie, Anjali & Damon, Anjali & Elena, Anjali & Liz Forbes, Anjali & Stefan, Bonnie Bennett & Caroline Forbes, Caroline Forbes & Alaric Saltzman, Caroline Forbes & Damon Salvatore, Caroline Forbes & Elena Gilbert, Caroline Forbes & Elizabeth Forbes, Caroline Forbes & Stefan Salvatore
Series: Vampire of the Moon [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1761091
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> #Disclaimer-I own nothing, as The Vampire Diaries belongs to Julie Plec and the CW :(  
> #Claimer-I do own any OCs' of my VotM!Verse, as well as original beings, buildings, places, Etc.
> 
> #I do own my take on a TVD!AU, my own version of Caroline, the canon characters, beings, buildings & places :)

Prologue

_**Memoirs of an Immortal Headmistress by Coraline Temperance.** _

Foreword by Anjali Ravencroft:-  
 _Being the guardian of children is hard enough._

_That said children in question are supernatural..._

_… Oh,_

_Don't even get me started!._

_Yes, is sounds like I'm complaining._

_But I wouldn't trade this job for the world._

_If, decades ago, someone told me that I would be here,_

_doing this, I would have scoffed in their face._

_…. Me, as a Teacher?,_

_A Guide?,_

_A Nurturer of Young Souls?._

_Huh, you've got the wrong person for that._

_But..._

_Life's funny isn't?._

_Especially for us Supernaturals._

_Now, if you're reading this,_

_I'm assuming its not because you're bored and picked the first random book you could find._

_That its actually because you want to know,_

_for some reason,_

_about 'The Life and Times' of yours truly!?._

_Well, these are My Memories._

_From when I first started living._

_Even though I didn't truly live until after I became a Vampire,_

_Ironic, I Know !._

_I actually, really started when the Salvatore brothers came back to Mystic Falls._

_And you know?,_

_My life was a lot simpler back then …_

**Yours,**   
**Professor Anjali Ravencroft.**

**Co-Founder/Headmistress of The Ravencroft Academy for the Young** **and Gifted.**   
**Mystic Falls, Virginia.**   
**USA.**


	2. Butterfly Feels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I have to know her."  
> "Little Miss Shy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Different-font Italics' is the Future Headmistress Anjali writing comments :)
> 
> 'Italics' is a voiceovers, thoughts, writing, memories, compulsion, etc.
> 
> #If it helps, think of my Anjali as an alternate universe version of Caroline. 
> 
> #Anjali: Un-Jeh-Lee.
> 
> #I Picture my Anjali Ravencroft as Indian Actress: Shruthi Hassan :]
> 
> Please Enjoy :)

Ain't no moonshine when she's gone  
It’s not bright when she's away  
Ain't no moonshine when she's gone  
And she's always gone too long  
Anytime she goes away

Wonder, this time where she's gone  
Wonder if she's gonna stay  
Ain't no moonshine when she's gone  
And this town just ain't home  
Anytime she goes away

And I know and I know  
And I know and I know  
And I know and I know  
And I know and I know  
Well, I gotta leave the young thing alone

'Cause ain't no moonshine when she's gone  
Only darkness when she's away  
Ain't no moonshine when she's gone  
And this town just ain't home

Anytime she goes away  
Anytime she goes away  
Anytime she goes away

- **My** Anjali **take** on **Bill Withers 'Ain't No Sunshine'** :)

~O~

Chapter One  
Butterfly Feels

  
**_It's funny, I never kept a journal when I was human, I never knew what to put down and to be honest there wasn't much of anything in my life interesting enough to put down. Yet after my transition, I decided to start one. When I realized I was frozen. But the humans, werewolves and various other non-immortals I know would grow old and die. I wanted to remember them. These memories. The good, the bad and the everything in-between. So I don't forget, however long I live. That these people were here, or the people still with me were different back then. As I'm well aware, immortal that we are, we may not age but we do grow. Even the ones who've been around for thousand's of years. I should know. I'm not the same as I once was. Funnily enough it was two brothers who effected me the most, and who I like to think I effected in return. It's odd, for me to remember. I only met them when I was seventeen, yet it still feels like I've known them all my life_ ** **_…_ **

**_-/-_ **

_For near two decades, I have been living half a life_ _…_ _  
_

_…_ _right at the edge of the shadows.  
_

_watching the world_ _…_ _  
_

_…_ _until now.  
_

_I am the 'The Angel of Mystic Falls'....  
_

_…_ _and this is how I became the 'The Vampire of the Moon.'  
_

_~V~_

_I shouldn't have come home.  
_

_I know the risk.  
_

_But I had no choice.  
_

_I have to know her._

_~V~  
_

_Something about today fells different.  
_

_Like something's going to happen.  
_

_It's a feeling that woke me up earlier this morning.  
_

_Butterflies fluttering in my stomach,  
_

_Anxiety rearing its head like it does when I'm about to perform.  
_

_Only I'm not putting on a performance now.  
  
And this feeling,  
_

_the feeling that my life's about to change...  
_

_I've been up for hours,  
_

_and it's still there.  
_

_I couldn't go back to sleep.  
_

_So, today, I'll put on a smile, so people don't worry.  
_

_My smile, will say: "I'm fine, thank you."  
_

_Hopefully if I say that a few times, the butterflies will fly away and I'll be back to my usual self.  
_

_I don't need to become 'Little Miss Paranoid' when I'm already 'Little Miss Shy'.  
_

_Hopefully this year, I can start to come out more.  
_

_Out of the shell my shyness holds me in, making it difficult for me to connect with more than the small group of friends that I already have.  
_

_So, I don't have to rely on my music and amma as a crutch so much.  
_

_~V~_ **_  
_ **

"AJ, you're going to be late!." a voice shouted up from downstairs. 

Up in a room filled with musical instruments, sheet music, books, trophies and medals from various competitions, a teenage girl with; long waist length wavy black hair, moonlight-blessed skin, big doe-like brown eyes framed by thick eyelashes, naturally pouty lips, with a slender, lithe, curvy body wearing a white printed t-shirt, black skinny-jeans and black socks, sways slowly side-to-side. Slowly gliding the bow on the strings of the violin she was playing, her eyes closed.

Stopping she snaps out of her contemplation, as she opening her eyes sighing, "Okay, I'm coming down!," her slightly husky voice calling down as she leans over the music stand to add the last few notes to the violin composition she'd been working on since early this morning, hoping futilely, that it would help her to back to sleep.

Getting up to put away her sheet music and the violin on its stand in the small music room. She leaves the room closing it behind her and enters her bedroom, to get her messenger bag, a grey hoodie jacket and putting on a pair of black converse before heading downstairs.

In the kitchen, Lysahna; a women with shoulder length black hair tied up in tight bun, light caramel skin wearing a sheriff's uniform finishes putting the oatmeal muffins in the basket on the kitchen counter. 

Looking up with brown eyes she shares with her daughter, Lysahna watches she gets her water bottle from the fridge, picks up two of the muffins and taking a bite out of one of them.  
"Got everything, AJ?' the mother asks she put the muffin tray in the sink to wash later, coming to stand in from the teen. 

"Yes, Amma," smiling at her mother as she gives her lunch money for today.

"Okay, sweetie, have a good day at school." Lysahna smiles, bringing Anjali into a hug. Anjali smiles too, putting her arms around the women and her face into her neck, "Even though you'll be dealing with criminals, I hope you have a good day at the station, too."

Smiling, Lysahna pulls away "I love you my Angel."

Finished off the last muffin and getting her things she heads for the door "Love you too, Amma." 

~V~

At the school, she'd just opened her locker when her two best friends; Bonnie Bennet and Elena Gilbert found her. 

"Clyde!"

"Bonnie." she replies to Bonnie's childhood nickname for her, turning around "Hi, Elena," she says hugging them as they open their own lockers next to her. 

Other then giving Elena a tighter than usual squeeze, she does and says nothing else. 

Her grandparents having died the year previous, she remembers getting tired of hearing all the 'Are you alright?" and the "Are you okay's". Knowing that most only ask because its expected of them and the expectable answer was "I'm fine" or "Yes, I'm okay", when inside, your anything but.

"So, what's going on?" Anjali asks putting bag away and leaning on the next locker fiddling with the long sleeves of her hoodie.

Closing her locker, Bonnie looks at the girls "Well, Grams was doing it again." leaning next to Anjali. "Telling me I'm psychic." she exclaims exasperated, rolling her brown eyes.

Anjali and Elena look at each other with small smiles as Bonnie continues, "Our ancestors were from Salem, witches and all that."

Looking at the looks on her friends faces, "I know, crazy, but she was going on and on about it," she explains, laughing a little, "and I'm like, put this woman in a home already!"

Anjali feels the need to point out, "But you did predict Obama and Heath Ledger".

Bonnie remembers that, it was years ago during one AJs birthday sleepover one year. 

"Yeah, I guess," Acknowledging it, "and I still think Florida's going to break of into little islands someday." 

Looking at her friend smiling, Anjali asks "Okay... then could you predict something now?, she asks, "for me?". Not that she'd really mind if Bonnie had nothing now but ever since that sleepover and the fact that her predictions came true, she's never really been disbelieving of Bonnie's grandmothers insistences of her granddaughters abilities. 

Bonnie looks over at her, knowing what she's thinking and that her quiet friend believes there might be something to her grams' ramblings.

Looking Anjali over, "I See-", seeing AJs attention had shifted elsewhere. 

Bonnie follows her eyes to look over Elena's shoulder, spotting Matt Donavan.

Elena seeing her friends looking behind her turns to see what their looking at to see her male best friend by his locker looking longingly at Anjali, while she glances away. 

While their Elena was looking at Matt, Bonnie looks at Anjali smiling softly continuing where she left off, "I predict, that this year is going to be awesome", nodding her head. 

Anjali lips twitch as Bonnie goes on to say, "and I predict that all the sad and dark times will be over," Anjali nods along, letting out a light sigh as Bonnie finishes with, "and you are going to be confidant and showing people the amazing person that you are, shyness be damned."

Anjali stops nodding and a soft a smile comes over her face, that reaches her eyes as she stops fidgeting with her sleeve, Bonnie giving her an encouraging smile in return. 

Anjali gives her a hug and the two turn to Elena, who'd just given Matt a wave and small smile, the three of them watching as he turns, grabs his book, shuts his locker and walks away. 

Anjali looks down and sighs. Elena turns back to her friends and with a sympathetic smile she shares with Bonnie, leans on the wall next to the lockers as Anjali states sadly, "He hates me.'

Putting her bag further on her shoulder adjusting the straps, "That's not hate," Elena observes leaning her head on the wall.

"Yeah,' Bonnie says looking at Matt's retreating figure and Anjali's dejected face, "That's, 'You, didn't really give me the answer I was looking for but I'm too cool to show it … but I'm secretly listening to Air Supply's Greatest hits'." she explains to Anjali with Elena nodding along.

Elena looks back though the crowd, "You know, I'll go and try talking to him." Stepping away from the wall.

Eyebrows shooting up a little, "O-oh you don't need to that." Anjali questions Elena, stuttering slightly.

Looking back at the slightly reluctant and skeptical expressions of her friends she explains, "It's all right, we've known each other since kindergarten, I know things can't go back to the way things were, but you two were going to be epic before everything happened." She reveals.

"If I can help you two with your relationship, AJ, why not?."

Anjali sharing a look with Bonnie the two looking at their olive-skinned friend says "Okay, go, we'll see you in class." she sighs as Elena smiling gives them a hug and turns to find Matt with a final "catch you later" over her shoulder.

"Bye.' the girl returns watching their friends disappear into the crowd.

Looking at Anjali who has a slightly bemused look on her face, Bonnie closes her eyes briefly, shaking her head "Not comment, I'm not something anything.", as they girls walk off in the opposite direction.

Glancing to the left they walk past reception Bonnie stops to a halt tugging on Anjali's sleeve to stop her as she spots something, "Hold up, Who this?"

Anjali's looking back questioningly turns to what Bonnie's seeing, seeing a guy turned away from them. All she could see was his short brunette hair, pale olive skin, black leather jacket with the hood of a black hoodie peaking out, blue jeans and black sunglasses from the angle his head was turned.

"All I see I back".

Eyes traveling up and down the mysterious guys back, Bonnie observes "It's a hot back."

Anjali huffs a laugh smiling, the girls looking at the guy.

"You records are incomplete," the receptionist remarks looking at the papers on the desk in front of her, "You're missing immunization records and we do insist on transcripts."

Hand coming up to take his sunglasses off, he catches the woman's eyes and asks in calm tone, "Please look again?, I'm sure everything you need is in there." 

The woman who has slightly vacant expression blinks a couple times, looking down the papers again. 

"Oh, you right," she seems to have missed it before. Looking back up him and giving a small smile "So, it is."

Narrowing her eyes a little Bonnie tells Anjali, "I'm sensing Seattle, and he plays the guitar."

Anjali raised an eyebrow, "Well, if he plays the guitar, that's a point in his favor." turning her to look at her best friend as they share a smile, she spots Jeremy Gilbert; Elena's little brother, heading to the men's room.

Having an idea what he's been up to already this morning and thinking of him as her little brother too, she decides to talk to him.

"I'll be right back." she tells Bonnie, following after him into the men's. 

Pushing the door and going past a redheaded boy on his way out, she spots Jeremy by the mirror putting eye drops in his eyes. Stopping just to side of him, she waits until Jeremy's finished. 

Jeremy turns around having spotted AJ in the mirror with a slight guilty look in his eyes. 

"Are you high?" Anjali asks folding her arms.

Looking away from her scoffing slightly "No, I'm not." he denies but he can't quite look her in the eye.

Raising an eyebrow Anjali asks, "So.. if I asked you turn out your pockets, you would be clean?"

Jeremy doesn't answer looks down at the ground so he doesn't have to look at the disappointed look on Anjali's face that accompanies the disappointment in her voice.

"I hate seeing you like this," looking at the boy she thinks of as her own little brother, "Jerry, you going to destroy yourself if you keep going," she steps closer to him, "I know your grieving, I know the pain of losing people and not knowing what to do with it."

Jeremy sighs looking up. He knows she gets it. Anjali's paternal grandparents having died in their sleep a year ago. 

Anjali was particularly close to her grandmother and her death hit the hardest. 

He knows she only started playing her music again these last few months or so.

Seeing that Jeremy's listening, Anjali tells him, "Everyone grieves in their own way. Elena started a diary, Jenna focused her attention between you guys and work." Sighing looking at her reflection, remembering the aftermath of her grandparents death and her withdrawal into herself.

"Then there's me, I'm sure you remember; I didn't touch any of my instruments and I hardly talked to anyone those few months after the funeral, it was only a couple of months later I sat down at my piano and started playing my grandmothers favorite song that I finally started grieving" she looks back at him.

"You could do something less destructive to yourself then drugs, like … art." she suggests, "You're an amazing artist Jer, you can pour all your hurt, anger, loneliness, guilt, grief, anything you feel into it." 

Seeing him contemplating it. She puts a hand to his cheek and turns him towards her, "You're not alone Jerry," she whispers, "You don't need to use drugs to fill the void and try to forget, you're only hurting the one's who are still with you."

Jeremy sighs, leaning his cheek into the older girls palm, smiling a smile whispers back, "I'll try."

Anjali smiling softly back at him, leaning her forehead to his, "That's all I ask, Jerry-Cat." still whispering, calling him by his fulll nickname that she uses only rarely. A reference to Jeremy's favorite show 'Tom and Jerry' that they bonded over when they were little about his favorite character and favorite animal.

Nudging Anjali's forehead gently before stepping back, pocketing his bottle of eyedrops, he gives her a hug, closing his eyes before leaving leaving. 

Left alone in the gents' Anjali gives a small sigh, before gathering herself and leaving, bumping into someone as she clears the door.

"Oh." startled, she looks up into forest green eyes, it's the guy from before. 

"Uh... pardon me." he apologizes as she stares, taking a small step back as she starts to ring her sleeves around her fingers, as she always does when she's nervous and/or flustered.

Now that she can see his face, she can see an angular jaw-line and a broody-look that puts Edward Cullen to shame.

Green eyes looks to the door, then back at her, "Um …," furrowing his brow, asks, "Is this the men's room?" looking down at her with with a slight bemused look.

Anjali, mouth gapping slightly, a slight blush hinting on her cheeks as she glances back at the door stammers out, "Yes, I-I was just..."

"Um... I was just," she continues to stammer as the guy looks on with a hint of smiles on lips.

Taking a breathe, calming down enough to answer, "It's a long story." she tells him, smiling at him.

Smiling back they both move forward to the side into each others paths, smiling again, the move again into each others path a second time.

Smiling 'green eyes' turns sideways and gestures the way with his arm.

"Thank you," Anjali gives him another smile, adjusting her bag before walking by as he goes towards the door. Turning to look at her go, as Anjali rounds the corner looking back at him.

~V~

"Once our home state of Virginia gained Confederacy in 1861..." the history teacher, Mr. Tanner explains. "It created a tremendous amount of tension within the state. People in Virginia's Northwest had different ideas from those in the deep south. Virginia divided …"

Anjali finished writing her notes, looks to the side casually leaning her right hand against her palm, to speak a glance at the new guy.

His look over the her, turning his head slightly. Having been caught she gives him a small smile and turns her head in head palm back to her notebook.

He smiles to himself turning back to front and glances back her again as she fiddles with a leather cord which had her custom pendant hanging from it; a silver joint sun and moon with folded angel wings enveloping them with her initials; 'A' in the middle of the sun and 'R' in the middle of moon.

Having caught the new guy looking at her friend, Bonnie gets her phone and shoots Anjali a text, with Matt nearby leaning over slightly to see to what it is with the way Bonnie's grinning.   
Feeling her phone vibrating in her pocket, Anjali takes it out hiding it just under the desk, so Mr. Tanner won't notice. 'Hawt-E staring @ U ! :)'

Smiling down at the messing with fond exasperation she puts her phone away, picks up her pen and turns back to the lesson, while green eyes continue looking her way.

~V~

After school let's out, Anjali finds herself on the path to the Mystic Falls Cemetery. Walk past the gates, her eyes catch the gaze of lone crow on the sign post, it cawing as she walks past.

Coming up to headstone she was looking for, she kneels down and takes the bunch of burnt plants out of the ceramic bowl on the low ledge and set them aside as she opens her bag, takes out a fresh bundle of sage and a lighter from her pocket. Lighting the herb, she sets it down in the bowl, as sweet smelling smoke starts to rises and move with the wind.

Saying a quiet prayer, welcoming the presence of Opiyel Guabiron and thank him for watching her loved ones, Anjali gets up to go lean against the back of the opposite headstone.

~V~

_"Somehow, today was easier for me to navigate._

_My worries from this morning must have shone through somehow,_

_I've had to say, "I'm alright," or "I'm good" at least a dozen times._

_And I only kinda meant it, halfway through the afternoon._

_Thankfully no one noticed._

_I wouldn't know what to say if someone had_ _…_

_What are you supposed to say if there's technically nothing wrong?..._

The melody she was subconsciously humming stopped, as she senses something. Eyes opening, the warm brown seems to have a slight dark red tinge before a blink fades it away.

Focusing, Anjali glances up at the tombstone she was facing;

**'In Loving Memory**

**Angelica Piccolo Ravencroft and Quil Ravencroft**

**March 10, 2008**

**'The Best Parents and Grandparents in the World'**

_'I hope they're okay, in Elysium'_ she thinks giving it a longing smile, she glances away, back down at her music journal, adding a few notes on the song she was humming. 

When she looks back, its to find what she thinks is the crow from earlier, standing on it looking her way.

Raising an eyebrow at it, she sits up, "Okay, hi bird." before looking away as it stared back cawing some more, "Yeah, that not creepy or anything." she says sarcastically acknowledging that she talking to bird.

Noticing a low white mist slowly enveloping the area around her legs, she looks around as the raven continues crowing adding another layer of eerie on top of the already creepy atmosphere.

Getting up she shoos the bird away, "Hmm," she hums to herself turning back around, stepping back a little as she spot the crow now closer and behind her.

With it still cawing, Anjali bends down slowly, grabs her back before back away and turning around. Looking back she thinks she sees a silhouette of someone now standing where the crow once stood, picking up the paces she little jogs until she hit a downward Slope and catches her foot, sending down and scraping her knee as she uses a nearby tree to pull herself back up.

Pushing away from the trunk she turns, nearly bumping into someone who she realizes is 'Green eyes'.

Looking at the slightly spooked expression on the ravenettes face, "Are you okay?" he asks worriedly.

"I-Yes, yeah, I'm okay," catching her breathe looking up at him, Anjali asks "Were you following me?"

Shaking his head slightly, he points to were away from them "No, I just-I saw you fall."

Rodding her head slightly, "Right, and you just happened to hanging at a cemetery." her nerves still slightly unsettle from that creepy fog/raven duo, her usual timidness seeming to have abandoned her, as her rarely used sarcasm and snark comes out to bite.

The guy look up over her shoulder briefly as he explains, "I'm visiting, I have family here."

Hearing that Anjali eyes widen slightly, "Oh, man, tactless," she says embarrassed by her lapse and wrings her sleeves.

"I'm so sorry, I'm not normally like that," she gives him an apologetic smiles, "It's the fog, its making me foggy." Which its kind of true, being in the cemetery is creeps anyway, add in sudden unexpected fog and mysterious shadows and no wonder, she's all over the place. Especially with her not having gotten much sleep last night and the lingering feeling still left over the morning.

The guy smiles as she continues, "Then there was this bird," furrowing her eyebrow as she recalls, "It was all very Hitchcock for a second there..." looking up at him questioningly "Uh, that is the bird movie, right? The Hitchcock …?" noticing him smiling at her, she cuts herself off. 

Laughing slighting, she remembers she never introduced herself before.

She stops messing with her sleeves, "I'm Anjali, AJ as most call me." giving him a smile.

Still smiling 'green eyes' introduces himself, "I'm Stefan." nodding his head slightly to her. 

Nodding her head, "I Know," Anjali tells him, "We have history together." smiling at him.

"And English and French" Stefan reminds her.

"Right" she say absent mindedly. Now that she's looking at him more closely, she can't shake the feeling that she knows him from somewhere. She knows they've never met before today but she can't shake the feeling that she's seen him somewhere before. Oddly enough the butterflies that had accompanied her since the morning, seem to have fluttered away. She's not sure if it's because of Stefan though.

She jerks out of thoughts, as he leans forward to pull a stray leaf out of her hair.

Thanking him they smile at each other. 

As she looks down, Anjali's eyes catches sight of Stefan's hand spots his ring. "Beautiful ring," she praises, with its Lapis Lazuli stone engraved with a crest, set in silver.

Looking down at his ring and twisting it little, Stefan tells her, "Uh... it's a family ring." looking back up at her, "It's weird, huh?" he ask her.

"No, it not weird it all." Anjali denies. "It's just that, there's rings and then there's that." waving to his hand.

Smile fading, Stefan's brow furrowing as he senses something, glancing down at Anjali he asks, "Did you hurt yourself?" looking at her.

Anjali tilts her head, "Hmm." looking back.

Stefan repeats, "Did you hurt yourself." pointing down at her leg. 

She looks down, seeing a dark patch on Jean clad calf. "Oh, um, I don't know." she says walking over to a boulder and put her leg to the roll up the jeans. 

Seeing the amount of blood, from the wound she exclaims, "Woah, I didn't even notice."

While Anjali examine it, Stefan turns around, the veins around his eyes become pronounced as they rush to fill the whites of his eyes with blood.

Taking a small, measured breathe, with his his back still turned to her, "You should go," Stefan tells Anjali, "Take care of that." 

Rolling the jean leg back down gently, Anjali reassures him, "Really, it's nothing." looking up she find the space in front of her empty.

Confused she looks around for Stefan and when she doesn't find him gather her things and heads home.

~V~

Later at a large boarding house, Stefan is at his his desk within his room on the top floor, writing in his diary.

_'I lost control today. Everything I've kept buried inside came rushing to the surface. I'm simply not able to resist her.'_

Finishing his entry, he looks up sighing remembering, finally meeting the girl with the angelic smile and warm eyes, he'd been observing for a while, no longer satisfied with observing her from a distance. He knows he shouldn't get involved with her but there was just something about AJ, that pulls him in.

Its odd, he originally stayed in town after saving Elena from the car and seeing her face, but as he watched her interact with others, his attention had drifted to her quiet best friend.

Anjali. The musician. The one has has no resemblance whatsoever to Katherine and yet it's her he's drawn toward, and its not in a romantic sense.

No, what he feels for AJ is similar to what he feels for his best friend; Lexi and what he used to feel for his brother. He has an ease around her that he only has around the former. 

While with Elena, apart from the surprise and curiosity with her looks, he feels nothing for her.

In fact, due to her shared face to his ex, he only feels uncomfortable in her presence.

Looking to the side, he spots the dropped, pale violet journal with an engraved loopy 'A' in the top right corner with the same symbol from her necklace in the middle of the cover.

~V~

Back at home at the Ravencroft House, Anjali; wearing an off-the-shoulder dark red long-sleeved sweater, charcoal grey skinny-jeans and brown calf-length slightly healed boots, collects her small shoulder-bag purse and black short coat from the coach, heading toward the door. 

Opening the door, "Oh." Anjali breathes in surprise as there, hand raised if about to knock was Stefan.

Seeing her there he lowers his hand with a slightly guilty smile, "Sorry, I was about to knock. I wanted to apologize for my disappearing act earlier. I know it was...strange." having had to leave at the sight and smell of her blood.

Smiling at him, Anjali tells him moving her fringe to the side of a her low side ponytail, "It's allright. I get it, blood makes you squeamish." knowing people have worse reactions to sight of even a pinprick amount of blood.

"Yeah, something like that." Stefan huffs, he thinks she's half right, in the sense that squeamish for him means something different. 

Looking down at her covered leg, he doesn't smell blood any more blood but asks anyway, 'How's your leg?", looking back at her.

Anjali smiles looking down, moving her leg about, she reassures him, "Oh, it's fine. A scratch is all." she says as she peers at him the around him into the street, looking back at him, she asks him, "Uh... How did you know where I lived?", his being new here and having just met this morning, she knows she didn't tell him were she lived.

Caught, he thinks quickly, "It's a small town," he reminds her, "I asked the first person I saw." 

He gives a smile, then reaches behind his back, for why he was her In the first place, "Um, I thought you might want this back." He hands Anjali, her her music journal. 

Surprised she it takes carefully, not knowing she'd left it behind this afternoon, "Oh, I must have dropped it," fingers caressing the crest in the middle slowly, she looks up at him , "I-thank you for returning it to me." she stutters gratefully, not knowing what she would have done if she had lost it.

Stefan smiles at her softly, "Don't worry," he makes sure to tells her, "I didn't...read it." 

Anjali looks up at him, in slight disbelief, "No?, "Why not?, she questions, 

"Most people would have." knowing that journal can be dangerous that way, people finding out, thought and feelings that otherwise would have kept silent about.

Stefan looks at her, "Well, I wouldn't want anyone to read mine." especially as his current one is one of a large collection of from over near two centuries.

Eyebrows shooting up, eyes widening slightly Anjali asks, "You keep a journal?" pleasantly surprised. She figured guys don't really keep diaries and if they did, they wouldn't admit to it.

He looks into her warm brown eyes, nearly whispering, "Yeah, if I don't write it down, I forget it. Memories are too important." Having lived a long time. Time tends to blur and you want to look back and remember, especially considering that, photos and videos are a fairly recent thing.

Anjali, getting a little lost in forest green eyes, blinks "Yeah. I'm just gonna...umm, you don't have to stay out there." going back into the living room having forgotten to get her car keys from the coffee table.

He steps slowly right to the doorway, moving forward a little more and finds that the barrier that prevents him from entering a house uninvited has lifted. "I'm fine, out here." he tells her leaning just outside the door. "Sorry, were you going somewhere?" seeing her dressed up with her boots on.

Anjali comes back, "Yeah, I'm meeting a friend," thinking for a moment, "Do you want to come?", he's probably lonely, with just his uncle for company, being the new kid, she thinks, hopefully the girls won't mind she invited him.

His eyes flicker away for a moment before looking back at her and giving a small jerk of his head. 

Smiling at his Anjali turns around and Stefan spots a a black colored tattoo between her shoulder blades, that matches her necklace with the addition of a quill feather entwined with the Anjelica plant in the middle of the joint sun and moon, before she covers it up with her jacket. 

Putting on her back and locking the door behind her, she leads the way to her car.

~V~

At the Mystic Grill, Matt and Bonnie are sitting a table, "How's AJ doing?" he asks her.

Bonnie gives him a look, "Her grandparents died. How do you think? She's finally gotten past the grief stage, but it's still early days." she says thankful. Not having liked seeing her sweet 'Clyde' apathetic as she was since their passing.

Matt finds he can't help it and has to ask "Has she said anything about me?.

She leans away slightly hands up, "Oh, no. So not getting in the middle. You go up and talk to her." Their situation was awkward enough with adding her in the middle.

Matt gives a slightly desperate look, "I feel weird just going up to her. She didn't give me an answer." Thinking about the last time they talked about what was between them.

Bonnie gives him a small encouraging smile, "Give it more time, Matt." knowing AJ really does like him, she just wasn't ready for a relationship yet. 

They both look up as Anjali enters with Stefan. Matt, disappointed points out, "More time, huh?".

Bonnie looks back at him, knowing they're seeing two different things. Where he sees Anjali interested in Stefan romantically, she knows that it's just Anjali being her usual kind self. That she's done the same thing for other newbies over the years, not wanting them to feel alone in a new place. The lonely feeling she knows all too well, even though she's never been alone but thanks to her shyness, It took a long time her for to be comfortable around them. It's thanks to their persistence that she doesn't feel that way now but Anjali still remembers what it felt like and doesn't like to think of others feeling that way if she can help it.

"Matt, its not-wait..." sighs trailing off watching as he walks over to Anjali and Stefan.

Matt glances over Stefan, "Hey, I'm Matt, nice to meet you." he hold out his hand.

Stefan takes it, an amused look in his eye as he sees jealousy in the young blonde, for his hanging around Anjali. Amused, in that there's anything for him to feel jealous over, both him and Anjali know that their not interested in each the way the boy's thinking. "Hi. Stefan." 

They let each other go and Matt turns toward Anjali as she say, "Hey." whispering slightly. 

Matt gives her a soft look, "Hey." giving her one last look before walking around them and leaving.

They turn to look at him go before Anjali leads her to Bonnie and sees that Elena seems to have come back from wherever she was from.

Settling down, Elena turns to Stefan and ask, "So, you were born in Mystic Falls?." with her chin leaning on her.

Stefan looks at her for a second before looking away, "Mm-Hmm. And moved when I was still young."

Bonnie looks at him, knowing from Elena, that he lives with Zach, "Parents?" she asks certain she knows the answer.

Stefan looking down, a slight frown on his brow, "My parents passed away."

Anjali looks at him with compassionate eyes but no pity, " I'm sorry. Any siblings?" she asks, being an only child herself.

Stefan with a wry turn of his lips, thinking of his brother, tells her, "None that I talk to. I live with my uncle."

Elena sits up, both hands now clasped under her chin, "So, Stefan, if you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow." she informs him, thinking it'll will be got time to make her move.  
Bonnie explains, "It's a back to school thing at the falls." 

Stefan looks towards Anjali and asks, "Are you going?"

She looks at him fiddling with her drinks straw, "Uh, I...", she has to think about it because normally, she's not one for parties, but her new friend was asking and …

Bonnie looks at the indecision on her friends face and makes the decision she knows Anjali wants to make for her, "Of course she is.", smiling at her as Anjali smiles gratefully back. 

~V~

"... Then what is? Why did you come back? After all this time, why now?" Stefan-great however many times-nephew.

Stefan looks at him, "I don't have to explain myself."

After finding out about the attack, and his argument with Zach, Stefan goes to a corner of his room and unlock the door to old cupboard. Opening he's sees it filled with his journals. Pulling out the journal dating last year he opens it and sees a photo of Anjali walking in the town Square, smiling into the distance. 

He sighs closing the diary, putting it back in its place in the closet and walks away after locking it.

~V~

In history class the next day, Mr. Tanner is teaching them about the end of the War. " The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle? Ms. Bennett?".

Bonnie not knowing answers, "Um...a lot? I'm not sure. Like a whole lot."

Not impressed, Mr. Tanner tells her, "Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms. Bennett." looking away over to Matt. 

"Mr. Donovan? Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?, he asks.

Matt gives him a smile saying, "It's okay, Mr. Tanner, I'm cool with it."

Tanner looking over, spots Miss Ravenscroft with her head down doodling, "Hmm. Anjali? Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?" he asks her, Anjali being quite good with remembering events.

Anjali jerks her head at the question and stammers out, "I'm sorry, I--I don't know." History might one of her more favorite subjects but wars like the American Civil War was not one of them. 

Actually a great part of American history makes her uncomfortable. With her Native American ancestors on her father and his father's (her Grandpa Quil) side, it's sort of ingrained to have that little piece of herself not be all that accepting of the way history portrayed them, it being a little easier now, then back in the day.

Mr. Tanner sighs at her answers, "I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Anjali. But the personal excuses ended with summer break." he tells her sternly, Anjali ducking her head, slightly. 

Stefan glances at her and sees her hands worry her sleeves again, looks to their teacher and answers the question instead, "There were 346 casualties. Unless you're counting local civilians." everyone turns to look at him while, continues looking at the front."

"That's correct. Mister...?" raising his eyebrow, Mr. Tanner asks the new kid.

Stefan leans forward slightly, "Salvatore." he tells him.

Tanner hearing the name wonders, "Salvatore. Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?"

"Distant." he acknowledges.

"Well, very good. Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle." he tells him, looking back over the class.

Stefan raises his eyebrow, straightening up slightly, "Actually, there were 27, sir. Confederate soldiers, they fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss." he expounds. 

Tilting his his, Stefan continues "The founder's archives are, uh, stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts, Mr. Tanner." he let him know, while the students start smiling, impressed that the new guy's sassing the least well liked teacher in school, with Anjali finally leaving her sleeves and turning to him with a thankful smile on her face, knowing he spoke up because of her.

~V~

Later that evening, in the woods by the falls. Stefan having just got there, extends his hearing. Filtering through the voices of the partygoers, he tunes in when he hears Bonnie knowing she'd be with Anjali.

"Just admit it, Clyde." 

"Ugh, all right... so he's attractive, I'm not blind Bonnie." Stefan is ridiculously handsome. The kind that you can imagine to walk right out of a romantic romantic and she's not the only one to see that.

"He has that romance novel stare." Even though neither she nor Anjali are interested in Stefan like that, they can so totally get what the majority of the girls (and guys) are going swoony over.

Having found her, Stefan starts to head over smiling to himself as Elena walks up to Stefan, wearing rather pink/purple button up shirt, black camisole peaking through, denim mini-skirt and black tights with knee-high heeled boots.

Elena gives him a once over, smile widening, "Hey! You made it!."

Stefan gives her small smile, "I did." he says turning away slightly. 

Elena grabs his arm, turning him the other way slightly, "Well, let's get you a drink."

Stefan stifles the urge to rip his arm away and growl at her. Through slightly gritted teeth, he whispers, "Well, I'm-."

Not noticing the tension, Elena starts pulling him away, "Oh, come on."

Bonnie and Anjali are still talking, wandering if Stefan was going to show.

Looking around Bonnie asks, "Do you think he's here? 

Anjali joins in her in glancing about but doesn't see her new friend's brooding face anywhere, "Can't see him. Why don't you try and find out. You're the psychic here." looking at her friend expectantly.

Bonnie looks at Anjali with a slight smile, seeing she was serious with her suggestion, "Right, I forgot. Okay, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate."

Anjali holds out her hand and Bonnie takes it with both hands. Freezing she gains a slightly vacant expression as she stares just beyond Anjali.

Coming back to her senses, Bonnie abruptly pulls her hand back. Looking shaken.

Anjali worried, "Bon, you okay, she asks leaning closer, "What did you see?"

Looking up at her best friend, Bonnie tries to explain what she saw, "That was weird. When I touched you, I saw a crow."

Remembering the bird from earlier, Anjali breathes, "What?." she hadn't told anyone about the cemetery, not even Bonnie.

Bonnie continues, "A crow. There was fog, a man." snapping out of it, she tries to put it out of her mind and think about other things, like enjoying the first party of the school year, "I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah? Ok, I'm gonna get a refill."

Bonnie leaves Anjali alone. her quick pace betraying her anxiety.

Anjali stares after her. Not saying anything, as she watches her friend go calm herself down.

Turning around, she startles, as Stefan is right behind her and she hadn't heard him approaching.

"Hi." he says looking at her, looking at her wearing another off the shoulder purple t-shirt, covered up with black jacket with grey ripped skinny jeans and black combat boots.

"Hi." she says still staring at him.

Noticing the stare and what he just did, he cringed ever so slightly and asked wryly, "I did it again, didn't it?."

Anjali gives hum a teasing smile, "Mm-hmm."

He apologizes, "I'm sorry," looks at her and notices the distracted look in her eyes. "You're upset about something."

Anjali blinks a few times, focusing on Stefan, "Oh, uh, no, it's- it's just that I...You know what? Never mind. You...came." she smiled, pleased he's here with the rest of them.

Stefan gives her a warm smile, "I came." he knows he shouldn't have but any opportunity to spend time with her, like a teens hormone-high party is one he''ll take.

~V~

Walking away from the noise of the party a but, the walk towards the bridge near the party.

Looking at Stefan with a teasing smile, Anjali tells him, "You know, you've got the whole town buzzing."

Looking at her, Stefan smiles, "I do?" 

She hums, "Mmm-hmm. Mysterious new guy, of course you do." 

"Well, you have the mysterious thing going, too. Twinged in sadness." looking at her. She hides it well, but if you look closer you can see that her smiles aren't as full or real as they could be. In the time since they really met in the hallway, he's only seen her really smile less than a handful of times.

Anjali just looks at him, face blank, "What makes you think that I'm sad?" looking down, wandering how he could have noticed when the only one who had was Bonnie.

Stefan gives a slight wry smile, "Well, we did meet in a graveyard." 

Anjali quirks her lips agreeing, "Right. Well, no, technically we met outside the men's room." remembering when they actually met.

"You don't want to know, it's....it's not exactly party chit-chat." picked at the rim of her empty plastic cup.

They finally make it to the bridge and start crossing "Well, I've never really been very good at, uh, chit-chat." 

Anjali looks ahead and not to the side, even though she can feel Stefan's gaze, "A year or so ago, my grandparents died. i-it mean I.. I'm grateful at least, that they died peacefully in their sleep, the best way to go, but its just... I miss them so much. I was so close to them, more so then my mom or my friends. I spent most of my time over at there place. My grandmother was the one I was closest to. Nonna.. the one who I got my gift from. My talent and love of music. She's the one who first taught me my first instrument; the piano. She taught me to sing. She is... was my inspiration to become a musician. My idol." smiling softly she reminisces as Stefan listens on, "Now my grandfather, ha, he had such a heart, you know. The kind of guy who's tough but not so tough he can't show and share his emotions. Grandpa was a soldier, he fought in the war, but he preferred peace. Not to say he was a pacifist (not that there's anything wrong with being one) he could fight when he needed to. He was the kind of guy people listened too, especially as between the two of them he was the quiet one. Like I am. I love my mom, she's the best one in the world but I was closer to them. They were more my parents than grandparents and now they're gone, I miss them so much. Even after all this time, it still hurts and I'm afraid it always be like this, that I'll feel this hole for the rest of my life." blinking tears out of her eyes, she continues forward, slightly shocked that she'd blurted that out to him, when she'd never even confided in Bonnie about how she'd been feeling.

Sensing something, she glances around and sees that behind her Stefan had stopped and was looking at her with an understanding looking.

Having got her attention back, Stefan slowly walks up to her, "It won't hurt forever, AJ." looking at the brown of Anjali's eyes.

Taking a shuddering breath, she gives a small smile as they continue on.

~V~

"... so, you're Italian too?"

"Yes I am, on my nonna's side. She was Anjelica Piccolo before she was Anjelica Ravencroft." touching her pendant Anjali continues, "I was named after her." 

Stefan looks her wondering something else, "You ah... your Ravencroft side is-are-" trailing off, not knowing how to ask a potentially sensitive subject.

"A Native American?," eyebrow raised Anjali looks at him in amusement, "No need to be awkward about it, but yes I am. The Ravencroft Clan are from the 'Simanoli Creeks".

Leaning towards him whispering to him, "I know, I don't look much of a Native," Stefan smiles, "Yeah, you take after more of your Indian heritage in your looks." Leaning back Anjali smiles, "Yeah, I know, people are always surprised when they hear I have Native blood. 

She nudges him, "Hey, good job on using the correct nouns. You have no idea how annoying it to hear the phrase 'Indian-American' and the everything, especially as that's what I technically am as a Half-Indian Quarter-Native American."

"No, problem, I've never had any trouble with that" Stefan says thinking back to when he was human and his friends in the Ravencroft family back then.

They stop in the middle of the bridge leaning on the railing overlooking the party.

Stefan turns to looks at her from the side as Anjali leans her back against the rails "I like Bonnie, she seems like a good friend."

Anjali smiles at him, "Best friend in the world." She wouldn't have been able to able to cope as well as she had with everything if not for her Bonnie.

With an amused twitch of his lips Stefan also observes, "And Matt, he can't seem to, uh, take his eyes off of us." 

Hearing the amused lilt to his voice, Anjali glances over her shoulder down following Stefan eyeline to wear Matt's hanging out with Bonnie and Elena.

Sighing she looks back at Stefan, "Matt and I are those friends since childhood that you start crushing on because you suddenly see them in a different way."

Stefan looks at her, "And?" 

"And then, my grandparents died, and everything changes. Matt and I, back then, I don't know, it wasn't, um...it wasn't..."

"The right time?" fills in for her.

Anjali thankful that he gets it looks at him, "No. No, it wasn't the right time..."

Feelings bubbling up from the surface as they lock eyes cause Stefan's eyes start to change as they blood rushes in to the whites. 

Noticing his eyes turning red, Anjali asks, "Hey, um, are you okay? Um, Your eye, it just, it's--" 

Stefan turns around before the veins under his eyes become visible, "Oh, um...Yeah, no. It's, um, it's nothing. Um, are you thirsty? I'm gonna get us a drink." He leaves taking both their cups with him as Anjali stares after him. 

~V~

Having come back down, Anjali walks around taking the time to enjoy the relative solitude before someone talks to her again.

Matt walks up to get as she's looking around, "Looking for someone?" they both stop facing each other;

Looking up at him, "Hey." she says softly, hating that she's become awkward with someone she's known all her life. 

He tilts his head, "When you didn't give me an answer to us becoming more, you said it was because you needed some time to think things through. You don't look you need the time anymore."

Anjali looks at him with slight dismay "Oh, Matt, no, you don't understand. It's--."

A wry smile on his lips, Matt assures her, "That's okay, AJ. You do what you have to do. I just want to let you know that...I still believe in us. And I'm not giving up on that. I'll wait till you're ready."

She looks after him, "Matt..." 

Having seen Matt approach, Stefan hung back to let them talk, seeing they were finished, he walks forward, until he's intercepted by Elena.

"Hey! There you are. Have you been down to the falls yet? Because they are really cool at night. And I can show you...if you want." a slight flirty look in her eyes as a smile comes over her.

Stefan looks at her to see her slight swaying "I think you've had too much to drink."

"Well, of course I have. So—."

Stefan finally looks her in the eyes and says quite firm and seriously, "Elena. You and me, it's not gonna happen. Sorry."

Stefan walks around her as he leaves Elena standing there, looking on as he approaches Anjali.

Anjali, who is sitting on one of the wooden railings, smiles a teasing smile. "I was wondering who abducted you, but now I know." she giggles as Stefan looks down with a huffing laugh.

"Is she like that with, uh, all the guys?" he asks. Her flirty nature, coupled with her face, making him doubly uncomfortable. The behavior too reminiscent of his old ex, that it's of putting.

Anjali still smiling, reassures him, "Nah. You're fresh meat. She'll back off eventually." Spotting something moving over Stefan's shoulder, she cranes her neck over to see Jeremy stumbling, a little vacant of the face as he heads deeper into the woods.

"By the gods, you got to be kidding me!" she exclaims staring after him.

Stefan turns to what's bothering her asking, "What is it?"

Anjali glances at him, "Elena's little brother." she tells him, looking around trying and failing to spot her friend.

Stefan turns back to her, eyebrow raised, "The drunk one?"

Anjali sighs, getting down for her perch to go after the boy, "That would be him. Excuse me." leaving him. 

Stefan takes a few steps in her direction offering, "Need some help?"

Anjali turns her head back to him "Oh, you don't need to want to deal with this, thanks for offering though." smiling one last time , "Jeremy! Jeremy!"

Deeper in the woods, she finally catches up with him, "Jeremy, where the hell are you going?" worried, Anjali's voice has a slightly angry tone.

Jeremy turns back to see her having followed him, "Now now, please AJ!" Already feeling his buzz starting to fade. Anjali having that unique ability to make someone guilty by not doing anything other than being herself.

"Yes, now Jerry!. Please, just talk to me, vent, scream... anything but this."

"A-" Jeremy trips falling to ground, where he sees Vicki's body. The side of her neck torn open, blood pooled on the floor ground.

He scrambles up, "Vicki? No! Oh, my god. AJ, it's Vicki!" looking back at AJ he lift a trembling hand to the woundless side of her neck to check for a pulse.

Covering her hand with the ends of her sleeves, Anjali wrings them together, "Oh, my gods!."

"No!"

Anjali looks around then moves towards at them, "Jeremy snap out of it!". He looks up her, tears streaming down his face as Anjali gentle her voice again, now the she has his attention.

"Pick her up, gently, we need to take back to the party and call an ambulance, come on." she says as Jeremy lifts Vicki into his arms, Anjali walking alongside him, as she presses her hand to the wound to stem the blood flow.

~V~

Stefan speeds back to the boarding house, the smell of Vicki's blood becoming too much for him. Having smelt the scent of another vampire he tells Zach that it wasn't him and that there's another in town.

Coming up to his room and closing the door, he slowly walk to the center of the room. He turns, when a crow flies in tough the open balcony doors and land on one of the ceiling struts.

Sensing someone behind him he slowly turns to look, finding he's not surprised with what he sees.

"Damon." 

There on the balcony, stands a place skinned man with tousled raven hair, icy blue eyes, and slight smirk wearing; a black leather jacket, black t-shirt, dark jeans and shoes.

"Hello, brother."

Stefan watches as Damon walks into the room, "Crow's a bit much, don't you think?"

Looking at Stefan, "Wait till you see what I can do with the fog." remembering how he manipulated it earlier.

"When'd you get here? "

"Not long ago. I couldn't miss your first day at school. Your hair's different. I like it." and he actually does, he looks much better now than when they saw each other last.

"It's been 15 years, Damon."

Damon slumps playfully, "Thank God. I couldn't take another day of the nineties. That horrible grunge look? Did not suit you. Remember, Stefan, it's important to stay away from fads." another reason to

like the current times, there were no more fads like those anymore.

Rolling his eyes, Stefan asks, "Why are you here?"

Damon gives him a smile, "I miss my little brother."

Not buying it, "You hate small towns. It's boring. There's nothing for you to do." 

Damon quirks an eyebrow and correct him, "I've managed to keep myself busy."

Nodding, Stefan crosses his arms, "You know, you left that girl alive tonight. That's very clumsy of you."

Leaning back against the desk, Damon tells him "Ah. That can be a problem...for you."

"Why are you here now?"

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Damon straightens up "I could ask you the same question. However, I'm fairly certain your answer can be summed up all into one little word... Anjali." smiling at him.

~V~

Watching Matt leaves the party in the ambulance with Vicky, Anjali and Bonnie turn to each other.

Bonnie "Hey. We're gonna go to the Grill, wait for news." 

Anjali looks to their friend, "Yeah and I'll stay with Jeremy." seeing her friend in no fit state to be driving herself or anyone anywhere.

"AJ, there's no way I'm psychic. I know that. But whatever I saw, or I think I saw, I have this feeling..." trailing off, Bonnie looks out into the woods.

Anjali puts her hand on her shoulder "Bonnie, what?"

Looking back at her best friend, "That it's just the beginning."

~V~

Damon whistles, "She took my breath away, Anjali. She's more beautiful than Katherine. Is it working, Stefan? Being around her, being in her world? Does it make you feel alive?" he ask as he reflects on the truth that no matter what he feels for Katherine, he can acknowledge that between the two Anjali is the more beautiful. Inside and out. 

"She's not Katherine." Not wanting to know what his brother's thinking and not wanting Anjali to be caught in the middle.

Damon looks at him. "Well, let's hope not. We both know how that ended." staring him up and down he asks Stefan, "Tell me something, when's the last time you had something stronger than a squirrel?"

Stefan smiles a little, "I know what you're doing, Damon. It's not gonna work."

Titling his head, Damon asks, "Yeah? Come on. Don't you crave a little?" walking forwards and starts hitting him.

"Stop it." Stefan leans back.

Damon carry on, "Let's do it. Together. I saw a couple girls out there. Or just, let's just cut to the chase, let's just go straight for sweet little AJ."

Pushing Damon back, "Stop it!" shouts Stefan. 

"Imagine what her blood tastes like!" he says roughly, looking at the effected face of his little brother as he turns his head as his face transforms.   
Smiling Damon tells him "I can." With Anjali's sweet nature, he can imagine her blood taste just as sweet.

Face turning back to Damon, Stefan's fangs shows as he growls out, "I said stop!"

Stefan runs into Damon and throws the both of them through the window. When he lands on the pavement, he sees that Damon isn't there. Slowly getting up with a groan as he heals from the fall.

Clapping is heard as Damon laughs, "I was impressed. I give it a six. Missing style, but I was pleasantly surprised. Very good with the whole face...thing. It was good." watching his brother finally get up.

Stefan looks towards him with a frown, "You know, it's all fun and games, Damon, huh? But wherever you go, people die."

"That's a given."

Stefan shakes his head, "Not here. I won't allow it."

"I'll take that as an invitation." staring at him. 

"Damon, please. After all these years, can't we just give it a rest?"

"I promised you an eternity of misery, so I'm just keeping my word." walking up to him slowly.

"Just stay away from AJ." Stefan warns him away. 

Damon looks down, noticing something missing, "Where's your ring? he asks, as Stefan thumbs the finger where his ring was supposed to be.

"Oh, yeah, sun's coming up in a couple of hours, and, poof, ashes to ashes." Smiling Damon's hand moves up, "Relax. It's right here." holding out the ring, watching as Stefan put in on.

Smile falling, Damon grabs Stefan, his face shifting to reveal his vampire face, by the throat and throws him against the garage door. Whooshing over to him as Stefan lands on the ground groaning.

Damon looks down at him angry contempt, "You should know better than to think you're stronger than me. You lost that fight when you stopped feeding on people." lowering his voice he threatens, "I wouldn't try it again." Hearing the noise of someone moving about, Damon looks up then back down at Stefan.

"I think we woke Zach up." turning, Damon walks away from his brother as he moves towards the house, "Sorry, Zach." as Stefan thumps his head back on the ground, closing his eyes in defeat.

~V~

Back in the woods, the part breaks up more police arrives to cordon off the area.

Jeremy is over to the side drinking a beer as Anjali walks up to stand beside him.

She looks at him, "I called Jenna, she's on her way.", she looks at the bottle in his hand then glances around, pointing with her head, "Those people over there in uniforms, they're the police."

She sighs, "People are going to stop giving you breaks, Jerry. They just don't care anymore. They don't remember that your parents are dead, because they've got their own lives to deal with. The rest of the world has moved on. You should try, too." 

Jeremy looks down at her, "I've seen you in the cemetery writing in your journal. Is that--is that supposed to be you moving on?" remembering Anjali taking a long time, to actually start grieving and when she finally did, she spent most her time writing compositions and lyrics to songs in her journal. 

Anjali gives him a slight smile, "Your Mom and Dad wouldn't have wanted this and of course I haven't completely moved on, but a least I have my music to help me get through the bad times."

~V~

_I had a plan. I wanted to change who I was; create a life as someone new, someone without the past._

_Someone alive._

_But I should have known better._

_With people like me, the bad things and to follow._

Stefan looks at the photo of Anjali in one hand and in the other an old photograph of someone who looks like Elena but with curly hair and a period dress, dated 1864. 

Looking back up and putting them both in an open journal he closes it and puts in his chair, as he turns and walks out his room.

~V~

_I told Jeremy to move on. I don't know why I did that. Maybe it's because I didn't want him to be like me. Still sad and lost after all this time._

_I wish I could I could move on too. But sometimes I feel like I never will._

_It is true that my music helps._

_Helps me to let go of everything in the world and focus only on the music._

_To let go of the pain, however briefly._

_To be someone alive again._

_But it's not that easy for me._

_My feelings just comes back slower, a little less consuming._

Melody still playing, Anjali opens her eyes to a flash of purple, contemplating her piano. Looking at the sheet music in front of her, before sighing and erasing and replacing some lines.

_We can't escape from them, even if we wanted too._

Anjali leaves her piano and goes to her bedroom.

_All you can do is be ready for the good. So when it comes, you invite it in, because you need it._

_I need it._

_Otherwise I'll feel like I'm drowning with no lifeline to pull me out._

Anjali hears the sound of a pebble hitting the window, goes over, moves the curtain a bit, and sees Stefan beneath her window looking up.

Letting a little sigh, she turns as he moves towards the door, Anjali comes down the stairs and opens the door.

Stefan looks at her with quiet relief, "I know it's late. But, uh...I needed to know that you were okay."

Anjali looks at him leaning head on the doorframe, "You know, for over a year now, that's all anyone's wondered about me. If I'll be okay."

"What do you tell them?"

"That I'll be fine." she shrugs.

Stefan tilts his head asking, "Do you ever mean it?" 

"Ask me tomorrow."

Anjali straightens up looking at him then steps back a little, "It's warmer in the house. We can talk. Would you like to come in?" Anjali invites him in, giving him a smile.

Smiling, Stefan accepts, "Yes." he enters Anjali's house and turns to her as she closes the door. 

Thanks to hair braided down her back Stefan, sees the tattoo again on between her shoulder blades, past the camisole she was wearing and asks, "Your tattoo does it mean something?" pointing at it, having seen that symbol many times.

Looking at him as they sit on the window seat in the living room.

"Hmm. Oh. Yes, It means something. It's my personal crest. My grandparents had my pendant made a few months before they died. Then I got the tattoo a few months after, with the addition of the plant and quill for my grandparents."

Toying with the pendant's crest on the cord she continues, "The Moon symbolizes my understated shine. Grandpa said even with my shyness, you couldn't help but see it. Even if, to him, it obvious. The Sun is for my warmth and kindness. Nonna said those were her favorite things about me. And finally the folded wings..." trailing off as Stefan watches as blush starts creeping on her cheeks, 'wings...?" smiling a little, Stefan urges her to finish. "... the folded wings symbolize m-my angelic nature." she finally stutters out as Stefan smiles wider, thinking her grandparents had the right idea with the symbols even if it did make Anjali embarrassed.

"When did you get your crest?"

"Oh, they surprised me with it on my sixteenth birthday..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #Wow, first chapter finally done!
> 
> #I have no idea if 17yr old's can get tattoos in American but for this story they can :)
> 
> #If you've read this and would like to make any Fanart, especially about AJ's crest, please send me the link so I can see them :)
> 
> #I know 'Jerry' is the mouse and 'Tom' is the Cat. AJ nickname for him; 'Jerry' is for Jer(emy), his fav character and 'Cat' is for Tom, his fav animal :)
> 
> #As a Brit, I have no idea about much of anything to do with the Native American peoples, even though I've always been fascinating with their peoples and cultures :)
> 
> #If there has been anything that I've written that's inaccurate please tell me, but bear in mind this is an alternate world in the land of fiction and as such, can created my own history for people.
> 
> #I'm pretty sure, with the little knowledge I have that they didn't end up founding any of the American town as such, but for this story the Ravenscroft's like the Salvatore's are a founding family of Mystic Falls and as such have a different relationship to the settlers than other Creeks.
> 
> #I do hope I used 'Creek' right ? :|
> 
> #You might have noticed I wrote 'gods' instead of 'god'. That wasn't a typo I couldn't be bother to correct.   
> Anjali and her family are Polytheistic (worship of more the one gods) and believe and worship in the Native American and Indian (Hindu) gods.   
> Her being part Italian is also included, as the Piccolo's have always worshiped the ancient Roman gods, that parts less known, practically hidden in ages past due to rise in Christianity, where they had to pretend to be Catholic to avoid persecution. In modern times, (AJ's era) they don't have to hide as such do it being a more accepting time.
> 
> Opiyel Guabiron: A Native American dog-shaped God who watches ove the dead, often associated with the Greek; Cerberus.
> 
> Lysahna: Lie-Sah-Na.
> 
> What do you think?  
> Comment, Respectfully Please :)

**Author's Note:**

> #The title to this story is inspired by Bill Withers 'Ain't No Sunshine'  
> I think it suits Caroline's character well don't you think? :)  
> It also suits my Anjali ;)
> 
> #The pename, that Anjali's uses, is from Caroline Forbes ;)  
> Coraline = Caroline.  
> Temperance = Forbes (Forbearance).  
> Anjali Ravencroft is a mix of Caroline Forbes and my OC.
> 
> What did you think?  
> Comment respectfully, Please :)


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